


Confess, My Love, It's Free

by orphan_account



Series: One Shots & Shorts [15]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Battle, Competition, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-10 21:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15958103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Forty-three.A grin like a dagger flashes over Keith’s face as he runs forward and slides beneath a falling Robeast, barely making it to safety in time. He can hear Shiro say something to him over the comms but he’s too busy running forward to cut down another soldier.Forty-four.He has James beat by ten.





	Confess, My Love, It's Free

**Author's Note:**

> James & Keith Week, Day One: Competition, Cooperation, Confession
> 
> In which, I combine them all into one

Forty-three. 

A grin like a dagger flashes over Keith’s face as he runs forward and slides beneath a falling Robeast, barely making it to safety in time. He can hear Shiro say something to him over the comms but he’s too busy running forward to cut down another soldier. 

Forty-four. 

He has James beat by ten. 

“I’m kicking your ass, Griffin,” he announces, completely ignoring Shiro’s desperate plea to be careful. 

“Guess again, Kogane,” James replies and Keith has to draw up short when he sees James’ plane dip down and take out an entire fleet in one shot. “Where does that put me? Like at sixty? And  _ how _ many do you have again?” 

Keith grits his teeth. “You’re in a plane, asshole, I’m on foot,” Keith reminds him darkly. “I’d have you beat if we were on a fair playing ground.” 

“Then get in your lion and join me in the sky,” James replies and Keith watches the MFE-Ares ship shoot back into the clouds. 

Keith turns, bowing his head to focus on the black lion’s energy, drawing her to him.  _ I need you now _ , he tells the lion, feeling her presence draw into the battlefield. Another robeast makes its approach, its gelatinous body grotesque as it moves across the ground but the lion crushes it as she lands to collect Keith. Keith smiles up at her and is quickly seated in the pilot’s seat, taking off into the air to catch up to James’ dirty game. 

“Now, we’ll really see who’s the better pilot,” Keith tells James. 

“Me,” James snaps and rolls his plane out of the way as another fleet crashes from his blow. 

Keith has to admit, he is impressed by James’ flying skills, but he pushes that aside in favor of their competition. The most kills win – loser has to do what the winner says for a week. Keith had eagerly taken that bet even if Shiro called him an idiot for doing so. Keith pilots the black lion after James and uses its jaw-blade to cut through a large Galra ship, quickly taking it out. 

“So, where does that put me, Griffin?” Keith asks with a laugh. “One hundred?” 

“ _ Enough _ , both of you,” comes Shiro’s sharp voice. “I need you two to work together and take out that large ship u there. I need to keep Atlas back for support and the two of you can do this. Please.” 

Keith pauses his flight, allowing the lion to hang back by James’ ship. He turns her head so he can look at James, drawing him up on the holoscreen. “I guess we could do that,” he says, tilting his head a little at James in question. 

James nods and smirks. “Let’s show ‘em how we do it on Earth.” 

Keith returns the smirk with a sharp grin and they both fall in formation together. Keith wonders if he’d stayed in the Garrison and hadn’t gone off to grieve in the desert alone, if he and James would have remained adversaries or if they could have become flight partners. Keith thinks about how he used to be and knows the answer. 

He’s changed a lot since his time with Voltron and knows now he never would have wanted to work with James Griffin if he would have stayed at the Garrison.

But now…

Now, he can appreciate James’ skills and maybe even consider him a colleague and less of an enemy. Maybe even a friend. 

Maybe more. 

Keith’s face heats up and he has to bank sharply to the right to narrowly avoid crashing with a Galra cruiser. He spins the lion forward and back around, trying to keep his head level and his feelings in check. His heart has been all over the place since his return to Earth with his feelings for Shiro changing and shifting and then seeing James again for the first time in years. Everything is different now. 

“Keith, on your right!” James calls out and he moves quickly as James’ fires his gun to take out the cruisers on his tail.

“Thanks,” Keith says as he manages to fly to safety.

“Watch yourself,” James scolds and they both return to the formation to formulate a plan. Cooperation is a new thing for them.

“So, you take left, I take right?” James asks as they realize they’re running out of time to make a decision.

Keith snorts. “Sure.” He takes off to the left and James disappears on the right. Jaw-blade drags across the exterior of the ship while he can hear James’ ship making damage on the right. They both meet in the middle and turn their ships up above to watch as the ship explodes. 

Keith smiles big, his face stretching so much the skin hurts. 

“Hey, Kogane,” James says with a chuckle. “Does that mean we tie?” 

“No way,” Keith snaps and disappears back into the fray. He’ll be damned if he lets James win this one. 

“Hey!” James calls out and chases after him. 

Keith laughs and glances at James on his way to take out another fleet of cruisers but he misses a cue.

“Keith, no!” James cries out in his ear but it’s too late.

The lion takes the full blast of an ion cannon, knocking her power out, and Keith can feel his consciousness slipping in and out of darkness. 

“Keith, Keith can you hear me?” James calls faintly over the comms but Keith can’t keep awake anymore. 

The last thing he remembers is feeling the lion plummet back to earth. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


James almost runs his jet into the ground when he sees the black lion fall, trying to catch up, find a way to catch Keith but before he can almost kill himself, Atlas is there catching Keith gently and cradling the black lion like a broken bird. James pulls back up before he can crash into the ground, heart pounding hard in his chest. 

“We have to get out of here,” James says, not even realizing he’s said this out loud, over the comms, where everyone can hear him panic.

“James, take a breath,” Shiro says gently. “We’re going to get Keith to safety. Pidge, Hunk, Lance, can you take care of that last Galra ship?” 

“Yes, Sir!” Pidge confirms. 

“Good. Everyone else, fall back with me.” Atlas falls back and James is on its tail immediately, keeping close and trying to steal his nerve. 

“MFE’s fall back,” James says even as his voice quakes. He watches as they all follow his order and for once no one asks him any questions or demands any answers. They know where his heart lies. 

James hates to wear his emotions like a badge which is why he keeps them on lockdown at all times but as soon as he saw Keith Kogane again he’d turned into a walking disaster. Now, with the way they danced around the subject, James realizes he might be too late. If Keith doesn’t make it- 

“He’ll make it, James,” comes Rizavi’s soft voice in his ear and he realizes he’s been rambling out loud on the MFE’s channel. 

“He’s strong,” Kinkade agrees which James is surprised to hear him speak. 

James nods even though they can’t see him and they fly back to the Garrison where the particle barrier lowers to let them through. James lands hastily and almost falls out of his jet to rush toward Atlas where it’s reformed as a plane. He waits with bated breath while Shiro is already opening the black lion and going inside to bring Keith out in his arms. His breath catches in his throat like a trapped bird. 

“Is he…?” James asks his heart humming against his chest. 

Shiro doesn’t reply and James can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not but he remains in the hangar, speechless and unable to move his legs. Kinkade comes to stand beside him, placing his hand on his shoulder. 

“Let’s get inside, James,” Kinkade says quietly. 

James can only nod numbly and follow the MFE’s inside. They all sit in a lounge to undress but James doesn’t move to change. All he can think about is Keith and the way he may never have a chance to see Keith again. He sits, hands clutched tightly so they don’t shake, and stares at the floor. He doesn’t know how many hours pass until he hears someone say his name. 

“James.” 

He looks up, bleary-eyed, and tired to see Shiro standing over him. “Sir,” he says and stands bolt upright to salute. 

“At ease, Cadet,” Shiro says gently. 

James relaxes at Shiro’s command. “Is Keith alright?”

“He’s going to be fine, we have him in a healing pod now,” Shiro says and James feels relief flood his entire body. He’d never admit it, of course, but they both know how he feels. 

“Thank you, Sir,” James whispers even if he’s not sure who he’s thanking. Shiro or whatever deity is watching over Keith. 

“He should be out in a few days.” Shiro nods at all of them and turns to go. 

“Are you going to go sit with him?” Rizavi asks. 

James doesn’t reply, he just turns on his heel and starts moving toward where he knew they would keep Keith in the healing pod. He hates wearing his heart on his sleeve but for Keith, he’d do anything. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Keith leaves the pod three days later, walking a little funny, and definitely feeling stuff but he’s alive and he supposes that’s all that matters in the end. 

Keith staggers from the pod and allows the medics to rule him completely healthy before being able to leave the hospital ward. He’s torn between being offended no one was around when he woke up and being glad so he isn’t immediately inundated with a lot of questions. Keith goes to the hangars after changing his clothes to check on the lions.

He cost the black lion a huge hit and he wants to be sure she’s alright. 

The hangar is almost empty except for a familiar face hanging near his jet, scrubbing the windows like cleaning were his job. Keith smirks and approaches James, arms folded over his chest casually. 

“You know, they hire people to do that,” Keith comments, making James spin around, the front of his shirt soaked which Keith enjoys the immediate view. 

“Keith,” James gasps, sponge slipping from his fingers. “You’re awake.” 

“Heh, yeah, here I am,” Keith confirms. “Astute observation, Griffin. So, who won?”

“Who… who won…?” James slowly comes down off of the platform, still seeming to be stunned to see Keith upright. 

“The competition. Who won?” Keith clarifies. 

“I don't know… I don’t  _ care _ .” James looks Keith over, his face pale, freckles standing out sharply like constellations. “They said you were fine but you were out so long, I wasn’t sure you’d ever get up.” 

Keith rolls his eyes a little and turns to go toward the lions. “Why do you care so much?” 

James pauses and Keith figures that is the end of the conversation until James blurts out, rather loudly, “Because I love you, you big ass!” 

Keith freezes mid-step and slowly turns on his heel, staring at James as if he’d grown a second head. “ _ What _ ?!” 

“I said I love you, you big  _ ass _ ,” James snarls, face red and looking as if it could cook an egg. 

Keith only hesitates for a moment but then he’s there, crossing the floor, and wrapping his arms around James to pull him in for a long and deep kiss. He’s wanted to do this since he saw James again after a long absence and he thought he’d lost his chance. James tastes like fruit and sunlight. The kiss is as good as every mile over the speed limit he’s driven and every constellation in their galaxy quadrant. 

Kissing James Griffin is life-affirming. 

They break away with reluctance but Keith needs air and James is flushed even harder than before. 

“Wow,” James whispers, his fingers reaching up to brush his lips. “You kiss good.” 

Keith snorts. “Thanks. I think.” 

A small smile fills James’ face and warms his eyes. Keith feels his own face blush was he remembers James’ confession. “So,” James whispers. “Does this mean, we can finally go on a date?” 

A small laugh escapes Keith and he slides his tighter around James to pull him even closer. “Sure,” he whispers, lips already searching for James’ mouth again. 

“Great,” James laughs and returns Keith’s eager kiss with one of his own. “Okay but I’m pretty sure I won the battle count–.” 

“You did not,” Keith refutes. “I fell out of the sky–.” 

“So, you forfeit. I still win.” 

“ _ No _ .” Keith groans and laughs. “Fuck you, Griffin.”

James winks. “Hey, now tiger, buy me dinner first.”

“Oh,” Keith snorts. “I’m going to buy you something.” 


End file.
